Tourniquet



April 13, 1943. E]; 2,316,157

TOURNIQUET Filed March 3 1942 SCH/YEA;

INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE 2,316,157'roUaNIQUn'r Albert Eschner, Santa Monica, Calif.

Application March 3, 1942, Serial No. 433,194 7 Claims. (01. l2-8-32'7)This invention relates to an improved device for arresting bleeding.

Among the objects of the invention are:

To provide atourniquet having an improved means for applying the desiredpressure in a moredefinite and specific mannerto the point on the fleshunder which the artery or vein to be compressed is located; to providean improved interlocking lever and fastening means for applying,regulating and maintaining the desired amount of pressure at the pointrequired; and to provide an improved combination, with a lever having afoot portion to compress the injured blood vessel; of an elasticconnection to encircle the bleeding limb, said connection having an endportion readily connectable with and disconnectable from said lever at adistance from its fulcrum, thereby to cause the aforesaid foot portionof said lever to press effectively upon the desired portion of tissue.

Another object is to provide a tourniquet which can be applied to aninjured limb for the intended purpose in a quicker manner-an importantfeature in cases of severe hemorrhage.

The invention includes, as a new article of manufacture, a pair ofattachments, one a hook member and the other an angular strip of rigidmaterial, said pair of attachments being connectable with any suitableflexibleconnection to form,

in conjunction therewith, a complete tourniquet.

The invention further includes the provision, in a tourniquet, of anovel lever for applying pressure to check hemorrhage, said lever beingconstructed in such a manner as to enable the manufacturer thereof touse inexpensive sheet metal in its production, or to use still lessexpensive wire, it being possible to do this without sacrificing therequired strain-withstanding quality, and at the same time lighteningthe weight of the appliance.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafterappear.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates what is atpresent deemed to be preferred embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferred embodiment of the invention inthe extended position, a portion being broken away in order to contractthe view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device illustrating the manner inwhich it is operatively applied.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the applied device.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the pressing clamp per se.

Fig. 5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1 showing an alternate embodiment of theinvention.

Fig. 6 is" a fragmentary view of the alternate species similar to Fig.2, and r Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 of the alternate species; i

Referring in detail to the drawing, the flexible connection or band It)for encircling one or more times the injured limb H is preferably of anelastic character. It has. a folded over end portion l2 which is passedthrough the basal looped portion I3 of a wire hook [4, this folded overpart being kept in its looped condition by an appropriate fastener, forexample, the tubular rivet l5 passing therethrough.

The means shown in Figs. 1 to 4 whereby added pressure is applieddirectly over the injured vein or artery consists of an angular levermember ll having an expanded middle portion I8 furnished with a slot 29through which the connection passes, and an expanded depressor f0ot-2l,the end of the member I? opposite to said foot having an operating arm22 furnished at its outer end with an eye 23.

After the angular member H has been stamped out inaflat form with thehole 2-3 and a pair of slots through it, thereafter it is transverselybent between said slots and the metal adjacent to the bend is doubledover upon itself thereby bringing said slots into register with each;other to produce the slot 19 through which the connection It passes.

The presser foot 2! is of a generally circular shape and is joined tothe slotted portion of the angular member ll by a narrowed neck portion2 la. Owing to the two sheet metal runs through which the slot i9extends being in an abutting relation to each other the member I1 isstrengthened at the point of greatest leverage. However, these runs maybe somewhat spaced apart except where they join the foot 2| and arm 22,where they should contact in order to impart added rigidity to this partof the structure. Said foot and arm are shown curved in the direction oftheir length with their concave sides directed toward each other. I

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 a modification is shown wherein a wire member 3| issubstituted for the member I! of the other views. Said Wire member hasits central, angular portion bent transversely to form a looped part 32consisting of a plurality of runs of the wire'with a slot 33 whichextends transversely of the midlength portion of this angular wiremember. At one side of its looped part 32 this member has an outbentwire arm 34 which extends from the midlength portion of its loop 32 andforms a lever or operating arm which has an apertured extremity 35.Opposite to said arm 34, the member 3! has a wire run 35 which isoutbent between its ends and which forms a depressor foot to bear downupon the vein or artery to be compressed when the member 3! is tilted asa whole by forcibly swinging its arm 34 in the proper direction, and isthen maintained in the compressing position by engaging the hook Hi withthe apertured extremity 3'5 of said arm.

In both forms of the invention the strap-like flexible connection 10 isshown of a sufiicient length to pass twice or more times around theinjured limb, and theiapertured part (l8 or 32) surrounds the outer runof the applied connec tion It). In both cases an elastic connection it iis preferably provided.

In operating both forms of the device, after the connection Ill has beenwound around the injured limb till portions of said connection overlapas shown in Fig. 2, the foot portion (2| or 38) of the angular memberbeing slidably connected withsaid connection, said angular member may beslipped along the outer run of the connection Hi until its said footportion is positioned applying pressure to the limb at the proper point.Then the angular member (H or 3|) by means of its operating arm, will beswung to a position wherein its compressor foot (2! or 35) will beardown upon the part of the tissue to Toe pressed against to stop thehemorrhage, whereupon the hook M will be hooked into the aperturedextremity of said operating arm to maintain the pressure desired. If,when the attempt is made thus to utilize the hooked arm M as a fastener,it be found that it is not in the proper position for such use, theoperator can, after slipping his fingertips in between the overlappedconnection l0 and the limb which it surrounds, impart a rotaryadjustment to the devic as a whole and thereby bring said hooked arm tothe desired position; the angular compressor membar can then readily bereadjusted by sliding it along the outer run of the connection l9.However, no very accurate circumferential adjustment of the appliedconnection 10 in relation to the injured limb is necessary, because theelasticity of the connection enables the operator to stretchconsiderably the part of said connection adjacent'to the hook M toutilize said hook in the manner aforesaid. The simple, elastic characterof the device enables the user to apply it in a quick, accurate manner.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the kind described, a flexible connection forencircling the injured limb, an angular strip of rigid material bent ina flatwise manner at a point considerably spaced away from both of itsends, said strip being adjacent to its bend swingably connected withsaid flexible connection, one end portion of said angular stripconstituting a foot portion to apply pressure over the injured vein orartery and the opposite or outer end thereof being shaped to receive afaswhich is secured to the aforesaid flexible connection and theopposite end of which is engageable with the aforesaid outer end portionof said angular member to maintain said member in an inswung positionwherein its foot portion exerts compression upon the artery or vein.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and, said angular strip having a slotat its bend through which said flexible connection passes, saidconnection being gripped by the slotted part of said strip when thelatter is in the inswung position.

3. The subject matter of claim 1 and, said angular member consisting ofa Wire having its angular portion furnished with a transverse loopthrough which said flexible connection passes.

4. In a device of the kind described, a rigid strip of metaltransversely bent at a considerable distance from both ends and having acompressible foot at one end, there being adjacent to each side of thebend a slot through the strip, the bent portion of the strip beingdoubled over upon itself thereby bringing the two slots substantiallyinto register with each other to form' a single opening through thestrip as a whole, a flexible strap passing through the opening formed asaforesaid, said strap being of a sufiicient length to surround at leastonce the limb to which the device is to be applied, and means to connectwith said strap the end of said rigid strip oppo- 7 site to its saidfootportion to maintain said foot portionin a down pressing relation tothe injured vein or artery.

5. In a device of the kind described, a flexible wire as a Whole istilted by means of its said operating arm, and a linkage means fastenedto said connection and connectable with the outer part of said operatingarm to maintain said de- 7 pressor foot in its depressing position.

6. A tourniquet consisting of a flexible connection for passing around ableedinglirnb, a strip of rigid sheet material which in a spacedrelation to its ends is bent fiatwise down upon itself and which isfurnished with an aperture through both plys of a bent down part throughwhich said connection passes, said strip having at one side of its bentdown part an operating arm and at the opposite side of said part apresser foot, and means carried by said connection to detachably connectwith said arm to maintain said strip in its operative compressingposition.

7. The subject matter of claim 6 and, saidpresser foot being a generallycircular plate with a narrowed neck portion whereby it is united to theslotted portion of the strip of which it forms a part.

ALBERT ESCHNER.

